TR: 10/27/1907 A 14'er Somewhere Deep in Washington

**powdherb** · 10-27-2007, 10:07 PM

We decided it might be appropriate to get gnarly this weekend due to the warm temperatures and high pressure. We were only partly right. Our object was the Kautz glacier, high on Mt Rainier. The upper portion of the Kautz forms a steep 60 degree ice chute that fills in after heavy snowfall and becomes skiable.

We didn't know if it'd be skiable or not, but we decided to check it out.

Though we failed, we still ended up skiing nearly 7000 feet of really, really nice corn from an area below the ice cliff. I'm too tired to give a shit about this TR. Bye.

PS: Fuck Pullayllp or however the fuck you spell this town. I mean really.

Mornings really are tough here, specifically because they are so hideous.

Looking down the Nisqually glacier. I think. I don't know shit about Rainier.

The Tatoosh range with Adams out back. Note the strange haze. So cal? Thanks.

ok, getting warmer.

Who put that there?

The line we wanted to ski. Note the obviously unskiable section. The section was somewhere around 13,000 feet, so we still had considerable distance to the summit. This photo was taken from our highpoint at 11,400. We debated whether we had the resolve and time to get her done via a couple raps. You already know how this ends...

Dave Brown sitting at our high point near the sketchball fixed line. We sat here for quite some time. (Lani, Dave Brown, Tony, I)

Skiing now.

We were able to ski from the high point to our car with small hike out of the moraine of the nisqually. That is not terrible.

I like this picture. Lani.

Dave Brown

Lani again.

**brice618** · 10-27-2007, 10:13 PM

Is this skiable still in may? I'll be climbing Ranier then and am debating bringing my skis for a few may turns. Will it be worth it?

**IridePow** · 10-27-2007, 10:14 PM

not too shabby for a 100 year old TR

**Dug** · 10-27-2007, 10:15 PM

I hate Rainier. Every day I drive home to see that hunk of ice ruining the horizon. Fuck that.

**Mofro261** · 10-27-2007, 10:23 PM

Originally Posted by brice618

Is this skiable still in may? I'll be climbing Ranier then and am debating bringing my skis for a few may turns. Will it be worth it?

No snow in May. It's only painted white for the tourists.

**mtnbikerskierchick** · 10-27-2007, 10:28 PM

Looks pretty good! You'll just have to go and tackle the route next time when you are more in the mood. Looks like some good skiing though!

**brice618** · 10-27-2007, 10:36 PM

Originally Posted by Mofro261

No snow in May. It's only painted white for the tourists.

I knew it!

Funny thing is, right after I posted that I thought to myself "you are a moron, of course there will be snow. why did you just ask that?" Eh, we all have our moments huh?

**grskier** · 10-27-2007, 10:39 PM

saweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee eeeeeeeeee

**FFsup** · 10-28-2007, 07:23 AM

tttttttt

**BushwackerinPA** · 10-28-2007, 07:41 AM

Originally Posted by brice618

I knew it!

Funny thing is, right after I posted that I thought to myself "you are a moron, of course there will be snow. why did you just ask that?" Eh, we all have our moments huh?

I was going to say dude umm there is snow there all year round....

glacier shots allways astound me cant wait to actualyl ski near on myself.

**Name Redacted** · 10-28-2007, 08:03 AM

I can't believe I lived in WA for two years and never climbed ranier! I suck.

Thanks for reminding me. Now I have to go back.

Sweet pics.

Yes, Puyallup is a shithole.

**SonnyBoy** · 10-28-2007, 08:16 AM

Sure looks like you guys had a good trip.
But yeah, nice 100 year old pictures. It must have been an expensive camera back then.

**booner** · 10-28-2007, 08:25 AM

The days I've spent @ Rainier in May/June/July have all been unreal...We build a booter on the side of this small gully at the bottom of Alta Vista/Top of Northwest Paradise Valley. Perfect set up...trees 5 feet from the booter for shade, beers, great snow, sun, perfect landing, perfect step up/hip style booter, and lots of grass. We always do a hike up the ridge just NW of were we are...About an hour hike, and the line is STEEP...completely blind except for about 10 feet in front of you. All you can see is the bottom from the top (about 500 feet vert I'd say) FUN,FUN,FUN
...Actually my avatar and sig pic are both from that exact spot...you can see how close the shade is to the hit in the one pic

**foreal** · 10-28-2007, 11:02 AM

Nice work! Looks like we are in spring already after a week.

**slaymore_sessions** · 10-28-2007, 01:40 PM

Nice work fellas. We were on our way up to Muir and saw your descent. It sure was a nice day for October!

**alto** · 10-28-2007, 04:42 PM

This guy's a fuckin comedian.

**skibiker** · 10-28-2007, 05:58 PM

Some mean looking jagged ice up there. Thought it was in Nepal for a second there...

**alto** · 10-28-2007, 06:23 PM

Nepal, land of the only glaciated mountain in the world, Mount Everest.

**powdherb** · 10-28-2007, 07:34 PM

Originally Posted by alto

Nepal, land of the only glaciated mountain in the world, Mount Everest.

Please restrict your cunting to utah-based threads. THANKS!

**Mtn Man** · 10-28-2007, 07:57 PM

Nice TR! I was actually contemplating that route Friday night as I scoped the Rainer topo map. Although I decided that a solo trip up there is probably ill advised for a west coast newbie. I'll get up there eventually.

How was the approach? Any gapping crevasses on the hike up? Any skinning or was it all bootpack/crampon/ice axe work?

Tanks!

B)

**altasnob** · 10-28-2007, 08:12 PM

Originally Posted by powdherb

PS: Fuck Pullayllp or however the fuck you spell this town. I mean really.

I second your fuck Puyallup rant. Spanaway is equally as shitty. The summit of Rainier is only 40 miles from Tacoma as the crow flies but it takes 2+ hours to get there because of the endless urban sprawl.

**Squirrel99** · 10-28-2007, 10:28 PM

Uh, Spanaway makes my skin crawl...ugh.

But the ski down the Turtle & Wilson is quite fun. Looks almost like it did back in July

**4btn** · 10-28-2007, 11:43 PM

Originally Posted by Mtn Man

How was the approach? Any gapping crevasses on the hike up? Any skinning or was it all bootpack/crampon/ice axe work?
B)

The approach was very nice; we booted from Paradise, skinned to The Fan, then booted with pons for the rest. There were a few steps where we broke through the crust (deepest was mid claf), but staying in the runnels seemed to help. Gapping crevasses as always, but enough were filled we left the rope in the pack.

**CascadeFreeheeler** · 10-28-2007, 11:59 PM

Where am I? Lani you got some cause our 'TRbitch' failed miserably. Show the token tele skier please. Also, can you post only the ones where I have a scenic backdrop and in a perfect tuck? Thanks bro.